Handhold for passengers.



D. I. 000KB & E. BANNING.

HANDHOLD FOR PASSENGERS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 16, 1912.

1,090,814. Patented Mar. 17, 1914.

COLUMBIA PLAHOGRAPH CO- \\'ASHINGTOX n. c.

AT @Itl.

DWIGHT I. COOKIE AND EII-IRAIIVI B ANNING, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNORS TO H. F. KEEGAN COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A. CORPORATION OF ILLINOIS.

HANDHOLD FOB PASSENGERS.

Patented Mar. 1'7, Mild.

Application filed. June 16, 1913. Serial No. 773,947.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that we, DWIGHT I. Coons and EPHRAIM BANNING, both citizens of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Handholds for Passengers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a device intended for use in public conveyances to assist standing passengers, in preserving their equilibrium against uneven movements of the conveyance while in motion.

It is common practice to equip street cars, busses, and other public conveyances with some kind of devices which may be seized for purposes of security and support by passengers who are compelled to stand while riding. Such devices are usually suspended from the car roof or ceiling, and are located so as to be within convenient reach of standing passengers. The handhold described in the present invention is intended to be similarly located and used.

It is sought in our device to produce a hand-hold which is essentially sanitary, self-cleaning, and attractive in appearance, and which is suiiiciently strong to withstand hard use, and yet small enough to be grasped with ease and comfort. With certain modifications, our hand-hold is adaptable to hands varying widely in size, as well as to persons of diderent height. Because of the manner in which it is mounted, a large portion of its own surface may be cleaned by friction against an engaging surface, which surface, if desired, may be impregnated with a germicidal agent to de stroy bacteria which might accumulate on the surface of the hand-hold.

In the drawing: Figure 1 is a front elevation of our improved hand-hold; Fig. 2 is a cross section therethrough; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of a modified form of our hand-hold; and Fig. 4 is a front elevation, partly in section, of a still further modified form of our invention.

The present hand-hold comprises a rin 5, substantially circular in formation anc cross section, which is suspended withln a strap 6 or other suitable device arranged preferably in the form of a loop, and whlch hold, as will be seen from Fig. 2, is constructed with a core or center 9, preferably of wrought or cast iron, in the shape of a ring over which is formed an exterior portion 10 of composition material, and compressed by the use of suitable dies operated under great pressure. The surface of the hand-hold resulting from this method of construction is smooth and ivory-like, and is both pleasant and cleanly in appearance.

Placed within the strap loop 6, there is shown in Fig. 2 a lining 11 of any suitable material which may be impregnated with an agent having germicidal properties, for the purpose of killing bacteria and germs on the surface of the hand-hold, which are brought into contact therewith. Since the handhold is circular information, it is free to be revolved within the loop 6, and thereby the greater portion of its surface may be brought into contact with this germicidal lining.

In Fig. 3, substantially the same form of device is shown, with the exception that the hand-hold is here represented in the form of an ellipse or oval. A hand-hold of such a shape tends to assume normally the position shown in Fig. 3, but may with manipulation be revolved a quarter turn to bring its long diameter into a horizontal direction instead of a vertical, as shown.

In Fig. 4, the hand-hold is again represented as circular, but is shown as having a portion 12 of the core 9 enlarged, so as to produce an unbalance of weight in the periphery of the device. Such a hand-hold under the jolting conditions common to moving conveyances would tend to revolve within the loop 6 until the weighted portion 12 had reached the lowest point in its periphery.

Vhen a standing passenger takes hold of a device, such as has been described, his hand usually approaches the same from one side, and not from directly below. In almost every instance, where the device is so seized, it will be given a slight turn within the loop 6, so that its surface is moved against the loop, and a rubbing action thereby is produced which tends to free the surface of the hand-hold from any soil or dirt. With constant use, such a ring is depends from the ceiling or roof 7 of a car eventually revolved completely around, and or other conveyance as through the instrusubstantially its entire surface is, therefore, mentality of a suitable plate 8. The handbrought in contact with the loop to be rubbed and cleaned. lVhen the lining shown in Fig. 2 is employed, the surface of the ring which contacts the lining 11 is treated to a disinfecting rub which tends to preserve the ring at all times in a sanitary condition and free from the germs which would ordinarily accumulate on its surface. lVhen the arrangement shown in Fig. 3 is employed, the elliptical or oval ring tends with movement and vibration of the car to shift its position in the loop so as to bring its long diameter into a vertical line. The arrangement shown in Fig. 4 is such that, unless the weighted portion 12 is either uppermost or lowermost in the periphery of the handhold, it will tend to shift with jolting movement of the car to a position such as is indicated in the drawing, and during such shifting position, its surface will be cleaned in the manner described. It is to be noted furthermore that the hand-hold described is not flexible in itself, so that no pinching or squeezing of the fingers grasping the device can take place. This is a very important feature and one which affords a considerable measure of comfort to a passenger having to resort to a hand-hold for preservation of his equilibrium. It is to be noted further that not all passengers would take hold of such a device at the portion which is lowermost, but that many will prefer to retain their hold along one of the sides thereof. lVith the form of device shown in Fig. 3, it is possible by rotating the holding ring a quarter turn, and by bringing the short diameter into a vertical line to raise the lower edge of the device to accommodate a person whose reach may be higher than usual, and to accommodate when so turned a hand that is wider than the ordinary.

The hand-hold which has been described is intended to have a white ivory-like sur- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by

face and to present an cxteriorhard polish or finish, so that its surface may be easily cleansed. Its construction renders it inexpensive to manufacture much lighter than a solid metal ring, and at thersame time combines in it strength and lightness, such as is desirable. Because of the substantial pro-portion of the composition material used, and the nonflexiblef character of the core there is no tendency for the device to chip or crack on its surface as in the case of an enameled device, nor to be distorted when unusual strains are applied to it.

Ve claim: 7

1. A device of the class described, consisting of a supporting loop and ring held freely within the same, said ring being arranged normally to assume a predetermined position within the loop, substantially as described.

2. A device of the class described consisting of a supporting loop, one portion of which is provided with a surface having germicidal properties, a ring held within said loop in contact with said germicidal surface and free to revolve thereagainst, the engagement of said germicidal surface with said ring being at given time, substantially as described.

3. A device of the class described consisting of a supporting loop and ring held freely within the same, the periphery of said ring being constructed with a weighted portion, whereby it. tends normally to assume a predetermined position within the said supporting loop, substantially as described.

' DWIGHT I. COOKE.

EPHRAIM BAN N IN G. Witnesses I WM. P. BOND, Frances M. Fnosr.

addressing the Commissioner 01' Patents,

Washington, D. C. M

one point only at any 

